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24 Feb 2003 : Column 69W—continued
Departmental Initiatives
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) initiatives, (b) action programmes, (c) campaigns and (d) schemes are being run by her Department and its agencies; if she will list each of these with its annual cost; and if she will make a statement. [95816]
Ms Hewitt: The Department's annual expenditure plans report contains information on the Department's activities and expenditure, including summary information on the work of DTI's agencies. Last year's report was published in June 2002 (Cm 5416) and can be found in the Libraries of the House. Next year's, which will cover 2003–04 to 2005–06, is due to be published in April. In addition, each agency publishes more detailed information on its work in its own annual report and accounts.
Domestic Violence
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to raise awareness in the workplace of domestic violence. [97753]
Alan Johnson: Often the workplace can be a place of safety for women. They may confide in their colleagues about their experiences. It is a place where others can notice what is going on, and where there is an opportunity to help women to access the support they can so desperately need.
The TUC has recently published a workplace guide. This sets out guidance on how to provide a workplace policy on domestic violence, why it is an issue that matters in the workplace, and useful information contacts.
Women's Aid, in association with Opportunity Now, are launching a Good Practice Guide for Employers on Domestic Violence on 2 April 2003.
The Women and Equality Unit has been closely involved with both these initiatives.
Electricity (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many clauses were (a) fully, (b) partially and (c) not debated during the Committee Stage of the Electricity (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. [97994]
Mr. Wilson: The proceedings in Committee on 6 February, Official Report, columns 468–529, allowed the House to debate a number of amendments tabled by the hon. Member and the hon. Members for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) and Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell).
Power Station Emissions
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her assessment is of the effectiveness of emissions scrubbers in removing mercury pollutants from power station emissions. [97522]
Mr. Wilson: There are a number of factors which affect the effectiveness of scrubbers removing mercury emissions. Around 40–60 per cent. of the mercury produced during coal combustion is in the elemental
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vapour form and the type of wet scrubbers used on coal-fired plant (eg flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) used for sulphur dioxide control) are not effective in removing this form of mercury from the flue gas. Of the remaining mercury, which is in an oxidised form, wet emissions scrubbers have been shown to be effective. In summary, it is estimated that about 50 per cent. of mercury produced is removed by wet scrubbers. There is no information on dry scrubbers although there is research being carried out on this.
A study on the monitoring and control of trace elements from coal-fired power generation is about to be let within the DTI's Cleaner Coal Technology Programme and this will include mercury emissions, their measurement, and their effects, and will cover the emerging legislative and policy issues.
Fireworks Bill
Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's policy is on the Fireworks Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Hamilton South. [97653]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I announced that the Government will be supporting my hon. Friend's Bill on fireworks as published on 13 February, which will provide new powers to control the misuse of fireworks.
Fraud and Theft
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been lost by her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft for each year since 1996–97. [92473]
Ms Hewitt: The estimated cost of theft and fraud to the Department and its agencies is as follows.
| Theft | DTI (£) | Agencies (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 11,267 | (12)— |
| 1999 | 10,985 | (12)— |
| 2000 | 5,870 | (12)— |
| 2001 | 18,782 | (12)— |
| 2002 | 65,131 | 23,133 |
(12) Not available
Information on thefts and losses in agencies is not normally held centrally in the DTI and it was not possible to identify costs for years before 2002 without incurring disproportionate cost. The DTI does not hold information on thefts in NDPBs.
Heritage Assets
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by her Department since May 1997; and if she will list such assets; and if she will estimate the total sales proceeds. [92399]
Ms Hewitt: The Department of Trade and Industry has not disposed of any heritage assets or antique assets since May 1997.
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Manufacturing (Portsmouth)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of the work force in Portsmouth (a) were employed in 1997 and (b) are employed in the manufacturing industry; and if she will make a statement. [98098]
Alan Johnson: In 1997 it was estimated that some 13,400 people, 13.6 per cent. of the work force were employed in the manufacturing sector in Portsmouth.
In 2001, the latest date for which figures are available it was estimated that some 11,300 people, 11.4 per cent. of the work force were employed in the manufacturing sector in Portsmouth.
Ofgem
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the qualifications of the Ofgem Board with responsibility for environmental matters. [86190]
Mr. Wilson: The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority—the "board" for the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets—shares collective responsibility for decisions. I hope to make an announcement shortly of the results of an open competition to find an additional non-executive member of the Authority with particular environmental expertise.
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 595W, if she will list the independent interview panel members, with their qualifications, for (a) recent appointments of non-executive members of the Ofgem Board and (b) the appointment of the Chair of Ofgem; and if she will list all the members of the interview panels for (i) the appointment of non-executive members of the Ofgem Board in each of the last three years and (ii) those members of the interview panel for the appointment of the Chair of Ofgem. [94528]
Mr. Wilson: The interview panels for the initial appointments of non-executive members to the Authority in 2000 comprised two senior civil servants, Anna Walker and Neil Hirst, and independent members John Shrigley (Civil Service Commissioner) and Philip Sellers (businessman and Chairman of the Audit Board for DTI). For subsequent non-executive appointments, Joan MacNaughton (Director General, Energy, DTI) replaced Anna Walker on the interview panel.
The 1998 interview panel for the post of Director General of Gas Supply and Director General of Electricity Supply (and Chairman-designate of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority) comprised three senior civil servants, Jeffrey Preston, Anna Walker, and Paul Salvidge, and Sir Bryan Nicholson (Chairman of BUPA) and Don Cruickshank (then Director General of Telecommunications).
Online Sales/Purchases
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by her Department in each of the last five years. [97459]
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Ms Hewitt: This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Petrol Stations
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many retail petrol filling stations there are in the UK; and how many there were in (a) 2000 and (b) 1997. [98046]
Mr. Wilson: The Institute of Petroleum's (IP) annual "Retail Survey 2001" has provided the following data on the number of retail petrol filling stations in the UK.
| End of 1997 | End of 2000 | End of 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| 14,824 | 13,043 | Yet to be published |
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